Audi has declared its intentions to sign a reserve driver by the end of 2023, outlining the importance of being proactive and laying the foundations for F1 entry.
Audi will not officially enter Formula 1 in the 2026 season, with the German brand taking the necessary steps to prepare for the next major regulation change.
It is understood that Sauber will continue to design and manufacture the car in Switzerland, whilst Audi will be responsible for producing the power units.
Work is already underway on this project, representing F1’s growing appeal to manufacturers and potential new entries.
Although there is still plenty of time before Audi joins the sport as a constructor, the search has already begun to sign a reserve driver.
Audi has identified the importance of finding someone with experience in Formula 1 to work in the simulator and provide accurate feedback.
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As quoted by Soymotor, Audi CEO Adam Baker has explained the requirements for this role:
“It may seem like our debut is far away, but we want to have a reserve driver by the end of 2023. And the driver being fast is a priority.
“It is very important to count on someone who has the experience to develop our new engine in the simulators we have in Neuberg.
“Although everyone associated him [Mick Schumacher] with us, he has chosen to go to Mercedes.
“It is something that we understand because his goal is to get back on the Formula 1 grid as quickly as possible.”
Baker correctly identifies the previous speculation linking Audi with Mick Schumacher, especially given the expectation that Audi would like to sign German drivers.
However, Mick Schumacher’s recent deal with Mercedes rules him out of contention.
Audi will surely spend the next few months evaluating and assessing the best candidates before coming to a decision.
